Demonata
by TomboyishRandom
Summary: THIS IS LORD LOSS NOT THE DARREN SHAN SAGA!i could not find anywhere for this, so it MIGHT stay here for the time being, until Fanfiction makes a plave for Darren Shan's new series, The Demonata.
1. Chapter 1

'What would you say if I told you that Demons were real?

What would you say if I told you that Grubbs Grady was real and not just a figure of Darren Shan's imagination?

Enough of what it's, time for what would you do.

What would you do if you found out that no matter what you did, you were damned to be a monster of the night?

What would you do if the master of several evil minions decided to gamble your life and two other's away for a silly game of chess?

Well, who gives a flying sod what you would do, it all depends on whether it would have been thrust upon you.

Now, Grubbs Grady, to this day, since he faced the Master and his several minions TWICE, survived and lives with his uncle, known as Uncle Dervish, at this very moment. Which is where I am headed.

'Late last night, I awoke to the smell of smoke, not really sure where it was coming from. My parent's had told me they were going out for the night, and left me at my grandma's, but I came home to sleep because, I can never sleep away from home.

'The smoke seemed to be billowing from underneath my parent's bedroom door. And naturally, as a child my age (sixteen), well maybe not a child, but for someone my age, curiosity tends to get the better of you, way to many times to keep count.

I reached for handle and found it to be red hot, burning the skin cells on the palm of my hand. Now that they were burnt it didn't worry me to continue turning the handle, to which I did and opened the door swiftly, hands out like a gun, just to make myself feel better.

"Holy sh…" was all I managed as a creature unlike anything I have ever seen, turned to stare at me. It reminded me of the poem at the beginning of Darren Shan's book about Grubbs Grady, called Lord Loss.

"Mangled hands, naked eyes, fanged snakes his soul line, curled inside like textured sin, bloody curdled sheets for skin", I shivered at the thought that such a creature, a creature that was simply written about for pure enjoyment, could exist in the world of the living, or in any world.

"Well, good morning Riley Sanchez, didn't believe I'd actually be getting a chance to be meeting you", the slightly sticky, I suppose you could call him a "gentleman", smiled toothily.

"Well, here I am", I sneered, gathering my strength, realising that this was, whether I wanted to believe it or not, the creature created in Darren Shan's imagination.

"Brave, very brave", he whispered haughtily, "I believe you have…"read" about me? How depressing".

"At least I know what to expect", I smiled knowingly that this was exactly how Grubbs had gotten to him during chess.

"Oh, you do, do you?" he asked smiling, well at least what was classed as a smile for him, blood seeping from the tiny gaping holes in his skin.

"Well, here you are, thinking your all high and mighty like in the book, and here are your pathetic little minions, believing that they are able to rip my head off, oh and we can't forget the fact that, I couldn't give a flying sod", I said calmly, causing him to sneer out of frustration.

Now, I would seriously love to tell you more, but that is as far as I remember, as soon as all that happened, I awoke to find you shaking me', I finished, the police sighing. They hadn't obviously gotten what they wanted. But seriously, that was all I could remember, the last thing I saw was this fleshy thing flying at me, and then I awoke to the police.

'That's all Miss Sanchez, you may go back with your grandma's house, we'll contact you further from there if we need you again', The tired looking policeman decided as he shook my hand, and a different man lead me out of the interviewing for the fifth time in the last week.

'Mrs Sanchez, I do believe your granddaughter, Riley, has reached the age of sixteen, making her legally old enough to choose her legal guardian. Now, in many cases the legal guardian is another being related to the family in close matters, AKA Aunties, uncles, cousin's, brothers, sisters, however this is not the case', the police officer explained, pulling out a little booklet and handing it to my grandpa.

'What are you saying, sir?' asked my grandma as I stood behind the kitchen door listening in, hopefully she didn't file for court for my custody.

'Riley has filed for Dervish Grady, to be her legal guardian. Mr. Dervish has signed the papers, and will be contacted immediately upon your decision', the police officer explained.

'Why has Riley chosen this man?' asked my grandfather, obviously highly embarrassed that I had done this to them and put them through this trauma.

'Because he is currently caring for someone in the same position as me', I exclaimed as I slammed the door open and threw Darren Shan's book down on the coffee table, 'That book, is full of there story. I didn't believe it at first, but what happened to the boy in that book, what happened to his family, is what has happened to me, to my parents and my sister'.

'Riley, you don't know what your saying', my grandma sobbed as she placed her hands over her face.

'No, grandma, I know what I'm talking about. I love you guys with all my heart, but you cannot help me right now. The more I come to realisations with what happened, the more you keep pushing me away from that, confusing me, destroying me', I explained, although neither one of the elder guardians wanted to hear it.

'Officer, we do not agree to this guardian switch', my grandfather started, 'we are going to further my granddaughters recovery by placing her into Grey lands. She needs help, help that we are not able to give her'.

'What, no, grandpa, Mr. Grady can help me, he can', I exclaimed; mouth still agape at the mention of the mental asylum here in Australia.

'Fair enough, Mr. Sanchez, your daughter shall be signed into Grey lands for further tuition on her road to recovery', the police officer smiled, handing a card to my grandfather before doing up his suitcase and leaving through the now open front door.

'What the hell are you thinking?' I asked, now standing in the place where the police officers feet just were.

'You need help, Riley', my grandmother sobbed, handing the cordless phone to my grandfather.

'And the help I need can only possible come from Dervish Grady, I told you that, why can't you understand that', I was really upset and angry, I swear I could of walked over and crushed the lamp behind my grandmother to pieces.

'Hello, I would like to submit my granddaughter under your care', I heard my grandfather say.

'No!' I shouted angrily, tearing the phone from his hand and throwing it against the wall, smashing it to petite smithereens. My grandma screamed, holding her hands over her ears, and my grandpa stood up threateningly.

'You will do no such things in my house, young lady', he shouted, causing me to shiver, that seemed to be exactly what my father had said to me before dumping me here.

Flashback.

'Hey, Ma, can I have a few of my mates over?' I shouted down the stairs. Helene, James, Jack, Rikke and Tasse had already showed up, they had come in through my bedroom window, sporting a few "drinks".

'Uh, only for a little while', my mother shouted back.

'Sweet', James smiled, handing me a bottle of vodka, while dispensing the glorious intoxicating liquids.

'So what are you doing tonight?' asked Helene as I laughed at one of Jack's crappy jokes.

'Uh, I'm being dumped at my grandma's place while my parents go to a crappy play to do with Hamlet', I smiled as Tasse handed me a cigarette but I turned it down.

'I thought you liked Shakespeare?' asked James, as he had given me one of the tickets he had won to go see "Twelfth Night" last year.

'I love Shakespeare, just not Hamlet. I thought Hamlet was just an egotistical way of showing the pint sized brain of man', I answered, swigging the rest of the bottle of vodka and resting my head in James' lap.

'Riley, Your friends need to…' my father had started to say, walking in, without knocking.

'Hey Mr. Sanchez', muttered Tasse awkwardly as she flicked the cigarette out the window.

'Do not Hey Mr. Sanchez Me, all of you out, get out of my house now', my father shouted, as I got up and helped my mates up as they all rushed passed my dad. I went to go passed but he pushed me back in, 'You stay here, I will deal with you later'.

'Dad, it was some harmless drinking, we each had a bottle, it was…' I tried to explain but he cut in.

'Drinking underage, smoking…' he gulped before continuing, '…foreplay'.

'Foreplay…what the hell, I was only resting my head in his lap, because I was to lazy to find a cushion, that's not foreplay, what are you, ninety?' I exclaimed, jumping up off my bed.

'It doesn't matter what you were doing', he continued, ignoring my rather insulting question, 'you will do no such things in my house, young lady'.

End of flashback.

My life was over. My grandfather had stood up and talked me down, reminding me so much of my father. Like how disappointed he was of my lifestyle, of me…

It took half an hour for the people in white coats to reach the house. He had called them again, using my mobile, and they had arrived. I was laid on the portable bed, in a partly comfortable position before strapped. The last thing I saw after I was shoved in the van, just before the doors closed was my grandma and grandpa, standing there.

Grandma was crying, hands over her face, as if ashamed of me, and my grandpa, staring strongly at me, face as stern as a sheet of metal. He…was hurt.

I spent the first few days in solitude, in case I decided I really needed to have a fit, well that's what the doctors explained to me. The doctor's also allowed me to have my book back, the book that contained the only truth that I was to ever receive in this hell hole, the book about…Lord Loss.

'Riley, you have some family members to see you', the attending nurse said sweetly. I could never guess why she was so happy everyday. Was it because she was working with her husband, or was it because she was easily able to cheat on her husband with the male attending nurse, my best friend James, in the empty padded room next to mine?

Family members came and went; I paid no attention to any of them, not really caring whether I "was going to be ok" or that "the doctors here are the best, I couldn't possibly ask for more".

'Riley, tablet time', James smiled. I swear he could've passed as a gay guy, or maybe that's why I got along with him so well. I had been in here for almost two weeks by now and it didn't look like in the near furture that I was going to get out.

'Ok, James', I smiled; he was the only one in here that believed I was not off my rocker, 'How's Tasse?'

'She's good, Helene's coming in tomorrow, they won't let her see you, but they are letting her send in some chocolates', James rambled as I took the coke off of him and chucked the tablets in my mouth before taking a swig of the fizzy cola.

'Awesome, I could use a little fattening up', I laughed before the other attending nurse stepped in.

'Riley, the doctor has changed your appointment to now', she smiled, as James turned to look at her, licking his lips before holding up five fingers.

'Do you really need to do that here?' I asked James as he sniggered at me.

'Naturally', he laughed, kissing my forehead before I left him in the now empty room, well I guess it won't be empty as soon as the nurse stopped guiding me to the doctor's office.

'Is there anything else, doctor?' asked the nurse as she opened the door to let me in.

'No, that is all', the doctor smiled, and I shivered, knowing exactly what I was going to ask for when I got back. New Sheets. 'Now, Riley, how are these Demons going? Spoke to them lately?'

'I can't just speak to them willingly'; I sneered. It was the same every time I'm brought here. Ankles cuffed to the legs of the chair, and the doctor continued to ask me how they are.

'Well you spoke to them in you parent's room "willingly", why not now, here, in you room in the hospital?' he asked calmly, writing certain things down on the pad in front of him.

'I did not ask them to be there. The only way I am able to speak to them is if someone ask's them to be there. And there is obviously a whole other list of rules to do with it as well that I haven't really figured out yet', I answered honestly as he shook his head and continued writing.

'I'll see you in two days, Riley', he smiled grimly as I nodded, a nurse, different from the one that James was fondling in my room, came in and unchained my feet from the chair, and allowed me to walk myself back to my room.

I knocked twice just to make sure that James and his play toy had gone, when I got no answer, I walked in. There sat my book open on my bed, but before I left, I had closed it and lain it my pillow. Walking over slowly I looked at what page it seemed to have opened too.

'Sixty?' I mutter, looking at the page number before my eyes followed the page edge up to the top left corner, gazing at the first sentence.

"The worlds a confusing place," Dervish says. "I'm sure your parents told you to always tell the truth, and most of the time that's good advice. But sometimes you have to lie." He comes over and bends so his face is in mine. "These people want to help you, Grubitsch. And I believe they can. But you're going to have to help them. You'll have to lie, pretend demons don't exist, tell them what they want to hear. You have to give a little to get a little. Once you remove that barrier, they can go to work on fixing your brain, on helping you deal with the grief. Then, when they've done all they can, you can come to me – if that's what you want – and I'll help you with the rest. I can explain about demons. And tell you why your parents and sister died."

He leaves.

That's it! I have to tell them what they want to hear, not want I want them to know. That's it! Wait, why did I not suffer the psychosis that Grubbs did? How come I'm all right with the fact that Demon's exist? Why am I so…sane?

'So Riley, how are these demons?' the doctor asked me, say about 7 weeks since I discovered my book open.

'I'm not sure', I muttered, looking at my unchained ankles. They had left them unchained, as I was getting "better".

'What do you mean?' he asked me, writing a few things down on his favourite little notepad that never got smaller.

'When I'm awake, I find it hard to think of them. I begin to think myself slightly childish when I do. Yet I can simply dream about them and wake, un-traumatised', I lied, 'I'm beginning to believe that I made up these "demon's" just to make it easier to come to terms with my parents death'. The doctor nodded with a smile. I almost jumped for joy, as I knew what was coming next.

'We'll give it a week or so, and maybe you can go stay with the gentleman that your grandparents have signed custody over too', the Doctor smiled as I nodded. 'You may go'. I smiled at the doctor, turned around, and left.

'And?' James asked, as I arrived back into the common room, notebook in hand.

'In about a week or two, I might be out of here', I smiled, taking the pen out of the spiral spine of the book and opened the pages to the correct page.

'Riley, tablet time', the new attending nurse smiled, handing me a frozen coke (icy coke with icy strawberry cola). You see, before I had gotten back to my room, James and the attending nurse he had been "groping" were caught by the elder nurse, who naturally, as the old prune would do, turned them in. however, since James has worked here for over 3 years, the doctor's decided that he was allowed to have one strike against his name, but they fired the nurse, strange aye?


	2. Chapter 2

Ok. I know I seemed to have skipped a few events, but right now I'm shaking in my fabulous space boots. I'm currently standing fifteen meters away from Dervish and Grubbs Grady's house.

I was released from the asylum with a mobile. The doctor's ring every week, once a week on Monday night at seven. I've been out for seven days now. And I spent those seven days hitchhiking here, as no one in my old town would give me a lift, due to my previous residence.

'Oi, You', someone shouted from behind me. I turned to look at them, wondering who would use the word "Oi" to start a sentence.

'Bill-E Spleen', I laughed as he looked at me weirdly, before smirking.

'Oh, so you've heard of me', he smiled, flattening his hair.

'Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that', I smiled as he walked closer to me.

'Are you a friend of dervish's or Grubbs?' Bill-E asked.

'Well, Dervish offered to help me, but I don't think he really knows I'm coming, or more to the point, that I'm here', I rambled as Bill-E nodded, actually listening.

'Well, let's let him know you're here, shall we?' Bill-E asked, offering his arm to me. I laughed and linked my arm with his as he led me closer to the door I had been staring at, hoping no one would come out of it. Bill-E pushed open the door and pulled me inside.

'Dervish?' he shouted as I heard something shuffle in the room to the right of us.

'He's in town, Bill-E', someone shouted before making him or herself known.

'Bugger, Grubbs. Uh…what's your name?' Bill-E asked turning to me.

'Oh, Riley Sanchez', I smiled.

'Oh, you', Grubbs said uncomfortably, 'Yeah, Dervish told me you might show up, I'm Grubbs, and this is Bill-E', Grubbs smiled, holding out his hand. I shook it as Bill-E looked uncomfortable now.

'Oh, So you're a Demon Orphan too?' Bill-E said rather rudely.

'Uh, Yeah, I guess you could say that', I mumbled, looking away from the two boys in front of me.

'Did you know Dervish is my father?' Bill-E asked proudly.

'No, I didn't', I smiled, flashing my book at Grubbs. He nodded in realisation and smiled.

'Grubbs…' Someone shouted from behind us, only noticing us when he walked in the door.

'Dervish, Riley's here…' Grubbs smiled as Dervish looked at me and nodded. I nodded back and he smiled.

'Welcome, Riley', Dervish smiled wider as he switched his attention from me to Grubbs.

'Grubbs, there's some mail for you here, I picked it up from the Vale, and if I had have known Riley was going to be here I would've picked up more than frozen pizza for dinner', Dervish mumbled half the stuff.

'I, Uh, don't mind, it's probably better than the cardboard sandwiches I got fed at the asylum', I answered uncomfortably; fully aware Grubbs and Bill-E's eyes were now on me.

'You were in an insane asylum?' Bill-E gaped, looking from me to Dervish.

'I was not insane, if that's what you're asking. My grandparents didn't believe me about the…' I couldn't say it.

'Demons', Grubbs muttered.

'Yeah, so they sent me to the asylum', I finished.

'Anyway, let's get off the topic of asylum's and get straight into the introductory', Dervish smiled, handing the pizza and mail to Grubbs and Bill-E before showing me around, telling me all the stuff I already read in the book. It wasn't until near the end of the tour that I told him.

'Uh, Dervish, I uh, read the book', I mumbled nervously as I showed him the lord loss book.

'Oh, I've never read the book personally, but what does this Darren Shan say?' Dervish asked.

'Basically everything you're telling me now', I smiled as he nodded in understanding.

'Then I shall leave you to choose one of the many bedrooms to claim your own, jobs start in the morning. You take over Grubb's jobs I believe', Dervish smiled and headed up stairs to what I assumed was his study.

'He's gone?' I heard someone mutter behind me. I didn't know whether that was a rhetorical question or not, but I answered it anyway.

'Yeah, he's gone to his study', I mumbled, heading down the hall, two pairs of footsteps behind me. One pair of footsteps died away as I found a room, which seemed inhabited. 'You know what Dervish always says, Grubbs'.

'You've read the book, right?' he asked.

'Yeah, a million times, why?' I asked, dumping my bag on the bed and turning to face him.

'Well, what I want to know is, did your parents…go out…like mine?' he was mumbling, obviously he still hadn't come to terms with the whole demon thing. Even though he did fight with them and play a game of chess against the leader.

'Pretty much yeah', I nodded, sitting on the bed beside my bag.

'How can you be so calm?' he asked, I don't know whether he was upset or angry. 'How can you just sit there and not be feeling any pain, any…emptiness?' he was angry.

'Some people don't believe in my morals, but I, all my life, have believed not to invest to much emotion into anything when there is a large chance you will lose them'; I answered shrugging my shoulders. 'I mean, of course I cared for my parents, if they got hurt, I'd give them the support they needed, but I never…loved them, I guess would be the words'.

'How, how can you live by that, everybody needs love', it was a rhetorical question.

'I get love, Grubbs, I do, but I just don't give it back, after my younger brother's death when I was two, I just decided now would be the time to stop caring', I shrugged again and he nodded.

'I understand', he sat down on the other side of my bag.

'You don't', I smiled nervously as he nodded.

'No, I don't, but they are your moral's and just because I don't understand them, nor do I like them, that doesn't mean I have to judge you', he smiled back and I nodded at him.

'True', I smiled as the door that I hadn't noticed that had been closed, opened with a bang.

'Dervish burnt the pizza and is attempting to bake muffins', Bill-E shouted with amusement as I smiled wider.

'I think this would be one thing you'll be grateful that I'm here for', I laughed, patting Grubbs on the shoulder as I got up and smiled at Bill-E as I passed.

'I so hope she cooks better than Dervish', I heard Bill-E exclaim as two pairs of footsteps started behind me again.

'Dervish?' I asked, as the three of us walked into the kitchen, coughing. 'You in there somewhere?'

'I, uh, burnt the pizza's'; Dervish muttered as I heard cluttering and a bang in front of me somewhere.

'I think you need to open a few…' I exclaimed, running into the glass kitchen door before opening it, 'Doors!'

'Yeah, what she said', I heard Bill-E exclaim from somewhere near me. Once the smoke had cleared, I set on throwing out the burnt pizzas and then set my sights on throwing something together for dinner.

'Where'd you learn to cook?' Grubbs asked. The three gentlemen had found their new source of entertainment. Me.

'My mum, before she died, she used to be the chef for the local café. I worked there every now and then…and the more I came in to work, the more she taught me. I can cook anything you ask me too', I smiled, heading over to the fridge and pulling out a lunchbox full of cold meat for sandwiches.

'Oh. Can you cook chocolate chip pikelets?' Bill-E asked, almost foaming at the mouth of the sound of such a delicious treat.

'Pretty much, Saturday morning, when you're not at school, I'll make some. I'm up pretty early, I go for a jog around four or five and train for about an hour, so head on over after seven', I was muttering as I was doing all the cooking, completely forgetting this wasn't my house. It made me feel so much at home I could not believe it.

'Awesome', Grubbs and Bill-E chanted before walking out to the lounge room with their dinner.

'Why jog so early?' Dervish asked me as I sat a plate in front of him covered in salad and cooked salami.

'Gets the system going, also jogs the mind and gives me a chance to think about previous events. Why?' I asked him curiously as he looked oddly at the cooked salami.

'I might join you one morning, that's all. I usually go jogging about seven, seven thirty, depending on Grubitsch and his plans', Dervish smiled, after finally eating the toasted salami.

'You plan your day around Grubbs?' I asked him curiously; unsure of whether this guy was as sincere and trusting as he sounded on the phone.

'Yes. I like to know what he's doing so that if I need his help, I can use him when he's not doing anything', Dervish answered, taking another bite of salami. 'Are you not eating?'

'I never eat dinner. I cannot sleep otherwise', I smiled, pulling a tea towel out of a drawer and set my sights upon doing the dishes.

'No. No Riley. This is your first night here. Yes you shall be doing dishes, but not tonight, go watch television with the boys', Dervish ordered. I knew it was an order because as soon as I continued heading for the dishes, he stood up.

'Ok, but if you need help, just call me', I smiled as I slapped the tea towel down on the bench and headed through the now plain to see kitchen door, into the lounge room to where Bill-E and Grubbs were watching boxing.

'Do you like boxing, Riles?' Grubbs asked; plate and cutlery set to the side clean and his fists in the air pretending to be the boxers.

'Trained for a year to be one', I smiled, sitting on the floor in front of the couch, twitching my head every now and then when a boxer would get hit or would avoid a hit.

'Really, why'd you quit?' Grubbs asked as I started to kneel moving twice as much.

'Parent's', I said simply now standing to the side of the room, pretending to be the Ukrainian boxer.

'I'm going to head up to bed, got to get up early after all', I yawned, 'Night Dervish', I added popping my head into the kitchen before heading upstairs in a house that a few hours ago would look haunted and creepy, but now, it just feels like home.

'Wake-y, Wake-y', someone whispered tickling the bridge of my nose, causing me to sniff and inhale… women's perfume?

'What?' I asked rather annoyed that I was woken from my rather peaceful slumber.

'Whoa, no need to be grumpy', the lady said as I looked up at her. 'I'm Meera'.

'Oh, so you're the "fucking hot" Meera I've heard less than I thought about', I laughed as she just smiled at me as I sat up, remembering to keep the doona higher than my armpits. I had a little habit of sleeping in my underwear.

'Ah, so they've drooled about me, have they?' she smiled as I nodded. 'Why are you so haughty taughty?' she asked, indicating to the doona.

'No shirt, no pant's', I smiled as she nodded.

'Another underwear sleeper', she smiled. She seemed to smile a lot.

'Yeah, it's comfortable', I laughed as she reached up and ripped the doona down. I groaned, as I tried my hardest to cover myself up.

'Where on earth did you get all these bruises?' she asked eyes wide as I just looked away.

'At night I dream about them. They come to me in my dreams, tell me that I am next, and then it feels like there inside of me, it feels like they're controlling me, and then…' I mumbled, indicating to the bruises.

'You don't know anything about me, do you?' she asked as I shook my head. All I managed to hear about Meera from Bill-E and Grubbs was Drooling noises. 'Well, I came here to dervish not long back, screaming on about…Demons. He helped me and told me everything was going to be ok'.

'And this has what to do with my bruises?' I asked, slightly confused.

'Well, I used to dream, nightmares. It always made me think that Demon's were inside me. So I started to hit myself, and get others so riled up that they hit me, and I never fought back. I nearly killed myself and they put me into an asylum. Dervish came to visit me and told me that he could help. And then, as I said, I came here screaming about Demon's and he helped', Meera stated quietly.

'Another one, Dervish just seems to attract the weirdo's doesn't he?' I smiled, as I flicked my legs out onto the other side of the bed before sanding up.

'Not attract them per say, just, I don't know…' Meera seemed to fall into an uncomfortable silence.

'Yeah, I kind of know what you mean'; I muttered not actually knowing anything, just trying to rid of the awkwardness.

'Well, all right, I have been instructed to take you outside', Said Meera standing up with a rather awkward smile plastered on her face.

'Uh ok, you think before you drag my tired ass outside, that I can possible slip some pants on?' I asked rather childishly. 'You know, I'm just asking?'

'Oh, yeah of course…' Meera said stupidly as she turned to face the door.

'So I'm being babysat as well?' I asked, as she just shook her head.

'You are way to like me', Meera muttered, before making her way silently out the door, closing it softly behind her.

'And yet…' I sighed, 'I am nothing like you'. I continued to mutter under my breath as I walked my way over to my suitcase, in my attempt to find a pair of pants. I flipped the lid up and nearly screamed, which was something I didn't do to often. My clothes were gone. I jumped up quicker than I thought was capable and bounded over to the single stout cupboard sitting in the corner of the room. Ever so slowly I found myself shaking as I opened the door.

'What the?' I muttered as my clothes hung neatly, side by side in the wardrobe. I looked down and I found to little draws sitting on the bottom. I opened the one closest to me and found it to be full of my personal items such as a little bit of makeup and what not. I made my way to the other draw but figured it wasn't worth finding out, I could already guess what was in it.

I grabbed the first pair of jeans hanging in the line and slipped them off of the coat hanger. Undoing the button, I slipped my right leg in first before slipping my left in. I was just about to jump to pull them up when the door to the right of the wardrobe flung open and caused me to fall backwards mid jump.

'Good morn…Oh', a rather embarrassed voice mumbled as I just sighed in pain on the floor. I heard the footsteps back track and the door slam closed as I rolled onto my side.

'This day just keeps getting better and better', I muttered as I heaved myself up with the help of the still open wardrobe. I managed to slip my jeans on, do up the button and slip a belt on before the door opened again.

'Sorry', said a rather red faced Bill-E.

'It's ok', I yawned as I buckled my belt up and opened the other draw next to the personal items. I pulled out a pair of socks, closed the draw and closed the doors to the wardrobe and sat down on the edge of the bed.

'Meera told me you were putting on pants, but she said you'd be finished by now', Bill-E muttered, heading hanging low.

'Bill-E, do me a favour?' I yawned again, slipping the left sock on first, then the right.

'Hm?' he mumbled, looking up quickly.

'Hand me those shows by the door?' I sighed.

'Oh, yeah, sure', he mumbled, still facing the floor. He bent down and picked up the shoes, walked over and handed them to me before he lifted his head.

'Thanks, B', I muttered trying not to yawn again as I slipped my left foot into the respective shoe and the right into the other.

'You ready?' Meera muttered, sticking her head around the door.

'Lead the way', I smiled, standing up and walking passed Bill-E out the door.

'Bill-E', Meera shouted as we walked down the stairs. I heard him jump and jog after us.

'So what's the big deal on getting me up?' I muttered, as we stepped out into the sunlight and I had to brace my retinas against the overly bright outdoors.

'I have no idea', the muffled voice of Meera muttered as she looked around her jacket.

'Okay', I mumbled, feeling slightly worried all of a sudden.


	3. Chapter 3

'Riley, good to see you alive and well', shouted dervish across the way. He seemed to be standing next to a rather large table with Grubbs sitting there embarrassed.

'What's wrong with him?' I laughed, as he sunk lower into his chair. Bill-E seemed to be smiling next to me, and I was then that I knew something was up.

'Never mind', Dervish smiled.

'Okay, what's up?' I smirked, knowing something was going on. I had never seen a rather mixed up bunch.

'Just thought we'd have breakfast outside today, and didn't want you to miss it', Meera smiled, sitting down in the chair next to Dervish's.

'Okay', I said rather slowly. 'What's this about?' I asked, Bill-E as I sat down between him and Grubbs.

'You'll see', came his singsong voice. I looked around the table and saw everybody smiling and eerily looking towards Grubbs. That was when I noticed the spare chair.

'Are we expecting any…?' I started before a car horn blasted behind us and a rather bright white car pulled up by the house.

'Well, Grubbs, go and meet you're…' Bill-E snickered.

'Shut up!' he snapped, getting up ever so slowly and making his way over to the car just as the passenger door opened. Out stepped a rather pretty looking girl, about my age or younger. She was wearing a rather flowery dress, and had her hair tied up into a high ponytail. She looked like she was three with the way she dressed, but as soon as she saw Grubbs, I knew different.

She practically flung herself at him, and wrapped her arms around his neck and glued her face to his.

'Is that…?' I gaped, trying so hard not to laugh.

'Grubbs' girlfriend', Meera smiled, as Grubb's took his new girlfriends hand and walked her over to the group.

'Everybody…' Grubb's said rather embarrassingly, 'this is my…'

'Girlfriend, Leela', she butted in.

'Hey, Leela', Meera smiled, waving.

'Well…' Grubb's stammered.

'That over there is Dervish, that pretty face there is Meera, this here is Bill-E and I'm Riley, it's nice to meet you', I smiled, standing up and holding out my hand. She looked at it as if it was alien and stared at Grubb's for help. Grubb's sat her down in the no longer spare chair, and sat down himself.

'Well, maybe we should start breakfast', Dervish chimed in, not waiting for a reply. He lifted up the big silver domed lid that sat in the middle of the table, there sat six individual plates, loaded up to the full capacity it was able to handle.

'I hope your hungry', Bill-E laughed, grabbing the plate closest to him and setting it down in front of me before twisting it around and grabbing a plate for him self.

'Relax, you look like you've got a ten foot pole up you ass', I whispered to Grubb's as she sat with his back straight.

'Shut up'; he snapped quietly, not even looking at me.

'So, Leela, what grade are you in at school?' Meera asked as everybody sat quietly eating his or her respective breakfasts.

'Same year as Grubitsch', she said quickly, ripping her hand under the table as soon as she had taken a bite of something.

'How are your parents?' Dervish asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

'Fine', she said quickly, again, ripping her hand under the table.

'You don't talk much do you?' I snapped, getting a little irritated at her rudeness. Before we all sat down she was fine she even self-proclaimed herself Grubb's girlfriend, now, all of a sudden she's to embarrassed to even say anything.

'Riley', Dervish said, looking me straight in the eye. I knew what he meant, but one way or another I was going to find out what was up her ass.

'Sorry', I muttered, going back to eating my bacon.

The rest of breakfast went a long painfully slow. Bill-E and I were having a competition as to who could chew and swallow a strip of bacon first. I won the first time, however after that I wasn't so successful.

'Well, if we're all finished ignoring each other…' I started, and received a look from Dervish and Meera, 'I might go for a walk around the yard'.

'Do you mind if I join you?' the soft voice from the body that hadn't said a word since the start of breakfast, sung.

'Oh, uh, sure', I smiled, looking from Dervish to Grubbs. I stood up, and stepped out from around my chair slowly, only to find that Leela was standing right next to me. 'Let's go', I said uncomfortably as I headed off towards the house.

We walked round the house in silence and came to the other side; I stopped.

'You're an odd one', I stated, stopping slightly longer than planned before walking forwards again.

'Oh, I'm sorry', she smiled. Odd.

'No, that's fine, don't apologise, it's just…' I started, before stopping again and turning to face her. She wasn't listening anymore she was looking around her, looking back at the house, trying to see around it. 'Are you o…?' I tried.

'Listen here', Leela looked at me angrily, stepping forward with a rather determined glint in her eye. I didn't have time to react; I just stood there staring at her. 'Grubbs is mine. You may live with him, but he's mine'.

'What on earth…' I tried again.

'No, I'm talking', she snarled. I was stepping backwards, attempting to at least put some distance between us, but every step that I took backwards, she took forwards. 'My master has worked hard for this, he is not about to let an ex familiar ruin it for him'.

'Ex Familiar?' I muttered, looking rather worriedly at her. I took my last step back and found myself against a small wire fence.

'Aw', she giggled, covering her mouth slightly with her hand, 'you don't know, how sad'.

'Listen, girly, you're starting to go all kuku, so I'm going to walk this way and…' I started, stepping sideways, but she blocked me by taking a step forwards. I looked up into her eyes and saw a rather odd thing.

'Don't you even think about it', she snapped. It was then I knew what I was seeing in her eyes. I was seeing the eyes of another, someone I had seen recently, or at least I had seen within the last six months.

'Wh…' I tried, but I just couldn't stop looking into her eyes. They were drawing me in, rendering me completely helpless, as if I would never see the light of day again.

'That's it, keep looking', she cooed.

'Who…' I started, looking deeper into her eyes.

'Just keep thinking…' she sighed, not closing her eyes, not even blinking.

I leaned forward ever so slightly, and she smiled. Her teeth were…sharp! I leaned forward a little more and she opened her jaws and slammed them closed, as if it was supposed to make me remember something.

Before I could even brace myself against it, she had her hands clasped either side of my head and I started to violently shake. I couldn't think, I couldn't move as my eyes started o roll back into my head.

FLASHBACK

"Well, good morning Riley Sanchez, didn't believe I'd actually be getting a chance to be meeting you", Lord Loss smiled. Patting a rather odd looking…thing…beside him. It had the body of a large mangled dog, although the head was that of an alligators.

"Well, here I am", I remember sneering.

"Brave, very brave", he whispered haughtily, "I believe you have…"read" about me? How depressing".

"At least I know what to expect", I smiled knowingly that this was exactly how Grubbs had gotten to him during chess.

"Oh, you do, do you?" he asked smiling, well at least what was classed as a smile for him, blood seeping from the tiny gaping holes in his skin.

"Well, here you are, thinking your all high and mighty like in the book, and here are your pathetic little minions, believing that they are able to rip my head off, oh and we can't forget the fact that, I couldn't give a flying sod", I said calmly, causing him to sneer out of frustration.

"Vein, Artery", he shouted, face contorted to one of rage.

END OF FLASHBACK

'Riley, wake up, honey', I heard someone whisper as a flash of coldness wound its way around my face. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe…I couldn't breathe! I started thrashing about, gripping at my throat, scratching at it, and trying to rip a hole somewhere so that I could expel air.

'Dervish, I'm worried', the whisper came again, 'she hasn't moved for hours'. I stopped. She hasn't moved for hours?!

'It'll be all right, she's a strong one', someone whispered. 'She's stronger then both of us, she'll pull through', he sighed.

'Dervish?' whispered a completely different voice.

'Grubbs?' the whisper I now noticed as Dervish's whispered in reply.

'Will she be all right?' Grubbs whispered.

'She'll be fine, when she…' but the whispered faded off and everything went black as I fell further into the coma I found myself in.

'Shouldn't she be awake by now?' I heard a voice exclaim.

'Grubbs...' another voice said, rather hurt.

'She should be, she should be, Dervish!' Grubbs' voice continued to yell.

'Grubbs', Dervish yelled, gaining authority back. 'She was revealed a time in her past through a Demon, it's going to take time, she has to rebuild the fragments of her brain back before she can continue functioning as she was before the attack'.

'But she's a quick healer, you told me yourself a year ago, you told me, Dervish', Grubbs shouted as i flinched. 'She moved'.

'What?' Dervish mumbled, and I felt the side of my bed tilt downwards. 'She's got her temperature back, and she's breathing normally...'

'That's because she's awake', I snapped, as Dervish jumped back.

'Oh', Dervish sighed, sounding relieved.

'What do you mean, a year ago, Grubbs?' I muttered, sitting up, looking over at the teen now standing dumbfounded in the middle of the room. 'What did he mean by a year ago, Dervish?'

'Now's not the...' Dervish started.

'Now is the right fucking time for it, I just got my ass whooped by a fucking demon child, alligator dog thing, I want fucking answers', I yelled, whipping the sheets off and standing up.

'Grubbs...' Dervish started, but somehow Grubbs knew what he was about to say and left the room, closing the door.

'So I'm a prisoner now?' I shouted, turning back to Dervish angrily.

'No, your a little out of it now', Dervish muttered, taking a step towards me.

'Look, Dervish', I grumbled. 'I'm not out of it, I'm confused and annoyed that she chose me and you somehow knew about me a year ago'.

Dervish started chanting something. I could feel the energy in the room being sucked out slowly, but none from me. Slowly I focused on hearing what he was saying and slowly, ever so slowly, the words he was chanting began to make sense.

'Banish, Banish, Banish thy name, banish thy air here, banish, banish, banish', he chanted.

'Dervish, please don't', I cried, feeling something tearing at the inside of me.

'Dervish!' Grubb's shouted from the other side of the door. 'Dervish, stop!'

Dervish however, didn't listen. He continued to chant as the air in the room began to suck itself out, making me grasp at my throat. 'Dervish!' I gasped, my legs collapsing underneath me. 'Dervish'.

I watched the door open as Meera and Grubbs stepped in, unaffected by the slowly dispersing air. I reached out to him, even to her as I felt my head start to build up pressure. 'Don't look Grubbs', Meera whispered. How I heard it over the rushing noise, I was not sure, but I had heard it. Dervish had stopped chanting now and was currently standing there, looking at me with a sternly.

I could feel and see the black surrounding the outer limits of my eyes as my body slowly started to shut down. I was almost blind when I saw a light, almost like the light you'd imagine someone would see if they were about to die.

'That's right', I sighed, sadly, 'I am dying'.


End file.
